In what appeared to support Saudi Arabia in the face of the dilemma of killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Russia sent paintings to its famous painter Vasily Kandinsky to be presented at the forum "Davos Sahara" in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
According to the London-based Art Newspaper, which has an office in New York, Kandinsky's work was transferred from the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg to Riyadh for presentation at the forum, which opened on Tuesday and continues until Thursday under Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The move is a reflection of Russia's support for the kingdom culturally, and comes at a time when many corporate leaders and government officials from many countries have withdrawn from the "Future Investment Initiative" conference due to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi after entering his consulate in Istanbul on the second of this month.
She added that the Russian direct investment fund sent to Riyadh a large delegation of executives and cultural bodies, noting that the Saudi Public Investment Fund had invested $ 2 billion after the visit of Mohammed bin Salman to Moscow in 2015.
The exhibition of Kandinsky's paintings - described as the founder of abstract art and one of the most famous artists of the 20th century - at the Davos Desert Forum paves the way for a major Russian art exhibition in Saudi Arabia as part of the growing relations between the two countries.
A statement by the St. Petersburg Museum said that many of the museum's most famous works of early 20th century artists arrived in Riyadh on the occasion of the Davos Desert Forum. The exhibition said that the upcoming Russian art exhibition in Saudi Arabia could be held under the title "Kandinsky and Russia".
The Russian-language daily Kommersant reported that the exhibition may be held on the occasion of the upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Saudi Arabia. In addition to classical and abstract works, the exhibition will include works by contemporary artists inspired by the ideas of Vasily Kandinsky.
The exhibition is supposed to be held in the cities of Riyadh and Dhahran as part of the Russian cultural days in Saudi Arabia, according to a statement of the Russian direct investment fund.